Top Chef contestant revives celebrated restaurant in a new space opening summer 2026.
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. (October 2, 2025) — Chef Katsuji Tanabe, known for his appearances on Top Chef and Chopped, is bringing back his acclaimed, experience-based restaurant High Horse to Horseshoe at Hub RTP in 2026. Together with local restaurateur Anthony Rapillo and former Silicon Valley tech executive Andrew Rava, Tanabe signed a lease to relaunch the concept in a 5,000-square-foot standalone pavilion with sweeping views of the Burdens Creek boardwalk, splash pad and stage.
High Horse first opened in Raleigh’s City Market in 2019, showcasing Tanabe’s bold fusion of Mexican, Japanese, and American flavors through live-fire cooking. The restaurant closed a few months later due to the pandemic, but Tanabe and Rapillo went on to open two successful dining destinations: Flour and Barrel in downtown Raleigh and La Taqueria by Katsuji at Boxyard RTP.
“Chef Katsuji and Anthony bring a creative spark that perfectly aligns with Horseshoe’s vision formemorable, full-service dining,” said Carolyn Coia, vice president of real estate, Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina, which owns and operates Hub RTP. “High Horse’s energy and entertainment will be a dynamic complement to Horseshoe’s flavor-packed lineup of food and beverage tenants, creating a destination where people can gather, celebrate, and connect—reflecting the creativity and community spirit that make the Park unique.”
The new High Horse brings back signature elements from its original location, which include the live-fire show kitchen, cotton candy machine, and the celebratory frozen shot glass bell. New features include an indoor-outdoor cocktail bar, expansive patio and private dining room. The menu will span lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, with highlights such as:
- Skillet cornbread with cotton candy
- House-ground burger
- NC grouper with country ham vinaigrette
- Warm table side spinach salad
- Charcoal-cooked seafood platter with mussels, clams and crap legs
“The new High Horse is deeply personal to Katsuji. The first iteration left a mark on the Triangle’s culinary scene, and I know he has wanted to bring it back in the right way,” said Rapillo. “It’s an honor to partner with him to create an experience that blends hospitality, culinary excellence, and pure fun. We’re ready to put on a show for every guest who walks through those doors.”
Designed by John Paul Garrett of WS Architects, the space will feature wood tones, greenery, high ceilings, and low lighting for a warm, earthy atmosphere. High Horse joins Nanny Goat, the boutique bodega that celebrated its grand opening at Horseshoe earlier this summer, as well as Cheeni, Di Fara Pizza Tavern, Drift Coffee & Kitchen, and Prime STQ.
“Our vision for Horseshoe has always been to create an experiential destination and High Horse delivers on that,” said Erik Johnson, founder of White Point, developer of Horseshoe at Hub RTP. “Katsuji and Anthony’s high-energy hospitality and bold, inventive cuisine embody the creative energy driving the future of Horseshoe at Hub RTP.”
For High Horse updates, follow @horseshoertp on Instagram or sign up for Horseshoe’s email newsletter here. For information about retail and office leasing opportunities and to learn more about Horseshoe’s tenants, visit https://www.horseshoeatthehub.com.
About Horseshoe at Hub RTP
Horseshoe at Hub RTP is the central gathering place within Hub RTP offering office, restaurant and retail experiences within a trio of buildings totaling 157,500 square feet and wrapped around a central, outdoor courtyard. Horseshoe is built with wellness and recreation in mind, offering pedestrian and bicycle connectivity to the existing RTP trail system. Tenants and visitors will enjoy 16 acres of greenspace with streamside trails and boardwalks, including Horseshoe’s splash fountain and event lawn. Conveniently located at the center of Research Triangle Park (RTP) between Highway 54 and I-40 directly off the Davis Drive exit, Horseshoe is easily accessible from anywhere in the Triangle. To learn more about Horseshoe at Hub RTP, including leasing opportunities, visit https://horseshoeatthehub.com.
About Hub RTP
Hub RTP is the new, vibrant downtown district of Research Triangle Park (RTP), North America’s largest research park. At full build out, Hub RTP will feature up to one million square feet of office and lab space, 279 hotel rooms, 1,200 multifamily residential units, and 50K square feet of restaurant and retail space, all designed to bring people together to work, play and stay in RTP. An impressive 16 acres of parks and greenspace includes the award-winning and eco-friendly Burdens Creek, which connects more than 20 miles of trails in RTP. Centrally located in the heart of the Triangle region, the 100-acre district includes Horseshoe at Hub RTP, the mixed-use town square of the development, Frontier RTP, an innovative startup community, and Boxyard RTP, a unique food, retail and entertainment destination. To learn more about Hub RTP and current leasing opportunities, visit https://hub.rtp.org.
About White Point
White Point is a real estate investment firm that specializes in the acquisition and development of mixed-use, office, retail, and multifamily properties across the Southeastern U.S. The Charlotte, NC-based firm utilizes local market knowledge, an extensive network and entrepreneurial approach to pinpoint unique investment opportunities and in-house expertise to execute across multiple asset classes. Since inception in 2014, White Point has invested in over $1.1 billion of real estate assets, receiving numerous design and historic preservation awards. For more information, visit https://whitepointpartners.com and follow @whitepointpartners on Instagram and LinkedIn.
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